Plex to block all servers hosted at Hetzner

links.plex.tv /e/evib

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Seeing a lot of talk about pirated material breaking the TOS. I don't believe that's what Plex is responding to here.
There are individuals who are setting up servers, and then advertising for others to pay for access. They're using Hetzner's infrastructure to facilitate all of this, essentially starting their own paid streaming service.
That's the issue at hand here. Plex doesn't know what is on your server, and has no incentive to find out. That whole pathway opens them up to liability that no company would want. They provide a way for private individuals to share their personal, legally collected media within their own circles.
Admin wise, it's easier to block the entire IP block than to play wack a mole. On the Plex forums, one of the employees made it clear they recommend hosting on your own IP and hardware for this reason. You may be collateral damage here, but they do not technically support hosting on 3rd party hosting.
Basically, this is Plex showing they do due diligence when someone is crossing the line into profiting from media, which is highly illegal.
- Plex doesn't know what is on your server, and has no incentive to find our
  How in the world can you say this with any kind of authority?
  
  Because they've stated that on many, many occasions. The only time they /might/ have any idea is on metadata retrieval, which is highly anonymized. Their relationship to you is highly a "Don't ask, Don't tell" one.
  You could, and others have, spent time sniffing Network traffic to see what data goes out and when to confirm for yourself.
  If they did know, they would place themselves in the spot of policing what is on your media server (and how it got there), rather than being the platform and leaving it up to each individual to collect, rip, and store their mass collection of blu rays.
- Basically, this is Plex showing they do due diligence when someone is crossing the line into profiting from media, which is highly illegal.
  How does it show that? This seems to be an issue with the hosting provider, but it suggests hosting elsewhere and links instructions for migrating the server elsewhere. If the issue was users profiting from media, then hosting their Plex-based streaming service elsewhere wouldn't solve that at all.
  
  This seems to be an issue with the hosting provider, but it suggests hosting elsewhere and links instructions for migrating the server elsewhere.
  Is it? We're flying without all the information here, but a disproportionate number of servers on one infrastructure could resist alarm bells and lead to a naming of the entire IP range in conjunction with that hosting provider which no longer wants this kind of behaviour in it's infrastructure.
  It's totally feasible, just conjecture. Possible deniability Andy adjusting you're willing to be proactive as an organization matters legally.
  
  Is it?
  Yes, as clearly indicated by this part of the linked notice:
  Due to the large-scale violations occurring from that hosting provider, we will be taking action soon to block access and activity from Plex Media Servers hosted by that provider.
  but a disproportionate number of servers on one infrastructure could resist alarm bells and lead to a naming of the entire IP range in conjunction
  Not sure what you're even trying to say here. There's nothing here or elsewhere indicating that too many Plex servers on the same infrastructure is a concern. I haven't read through the Plex TOS with a fine-toothed comb, but I don't imagine there's anything about making sure your server isn't hosted too close to a bunch of others.
  with that hosting provider which no longer wants this kind of behaviour in it’s infrastructure.
  Has there been anything from the hosting provider to indicate this, or are you just making stuff up? The notice is pretty clearly Plex indicating they have an issue with something Hetzner is doing that violates their TOS.
  Possible deniability Andy adjusting you’re willing to be proactive as an organization matters legally.
  Plex isn't gaining any plausible deniability. They're providing instructions to migrate the servers to other hosting, which is effectively saying "you can do what you're doing, just do it over here instead."
  
  It seems you've got it all figured! Cheers.
  FWIW: https://forums.plex.tv/t/not-allowed-to-use-hetzner/853570/15
  You're blowing smoke, without looking anything up from the source. Happy reading.
  
  You’re blowing smoke, without looking anything up from the source.
  Everything I've said was based on part of the link in the OP, which I did read.
  Happy reading.
  That link doesn't include anything new and explicitly states as much in the first sentence. Not sure what you're on about, but you're not making the point you think you are.

30 comments